Safety of Pakistan’s nukes a global concern: India

New Delhi, May 25 (IANS) India Wednesday said the safety of Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal was a matter of concern for the global community in the wake of frequent terror attacks on its military establishments.

“Naturally, it is a concern not only for us but for everybody,” Defence Minister A.K. Antony told reporters here after addressing the country’s naval commanders at their biannual conference that began Tuesday.

He was responding to questions whether the safety and security of Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal were under threat in the wake of the terror strikes such as the one at Mehran naval air base in Karachi Sunday night.

“Developments in Pakistan, especially in Karachi, are a matter of serious concern to us. We are closely monitoring and we are taking precautions also. But at the same time, we don’t want to overreact. We are also concerned about the developments,” Antony said.

Asked if there were any specific intelligence inputs on terror threats to India, the defence minister said he would not share it in public, but assured the nation that the three armed forces were taking the necessary precautions and monitoring the situation 24×7.

“We are aware that there is a constant threat to our security. So that is why we are taking precautions. It (security) is not a one-day affair. It is a constant exercise and we are ever vigilant,” he said on a possible Lashkar-e-Taiba threat to India in the aftermath of Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden’s killing.

Asked if there was any “heightened” watch after terror attacks in Pakistan, Antony said India’s constant security vigil was not only because of the situation in its neighbourhood but also because it was “always on the radar of terrorists”.

“It is not a new thing. We know that there is a constant threat to our security. It is not a one-day affair. So our security forces are working 24×7 and they are ever vigilant. They are closely monitoring the situation,” he added.

Antony reiterated Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s views that India would not copy the May 2 US special forces operations in Abbottabad near Islamabad in Pakistan to eliminate Osama.

Antony said attempts by terrorists to sneak into India, particularly in Jammu and Kashmir, were continuing.

“There are many terrorists waiting across the border to infiltrate into our territory, including Kashmir. But there is no increase in infiltration. Attempts are going on. But our armed forces are ever ready to prevent that. In summer, there are always more attempts of infiltration. We are ready to meet this challenge,” he added.